Grain and seed separator and grader



(No Model.)

W.. S. WOOD. GRAIN AND SEED SBPARATOR AND GNADBR. No. 429,749. Patented JuneA 10, 1890.

VALTER S. VOOD, OF

PATENT OFFICE.

KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

GRAIN AND SEED SEPARATOR AND GRADER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,749, dated J une 10, 1890.

Application filed August 3, 1889. Serial No. 319,649. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, VALTER S. VOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing` in the city of Kalamazoo, county of Kalamazoo, and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain and Seed Separators and Graders, of whiclrthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to lthe accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention will trst be described, and then pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation ot my grain and seed separator and grader, with a portion of the side casing broken away tor the purpose of showing the interior construction andlocation of parts, certain of which appear in longitudinal sections on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, which is an enlarged detail of portions of Fig. 1, showing the rock-shaft and its connections. Fig. 3 is an enl.rged detail of a portion of Fig. 1, showing details of certain parts in inverted plan View. Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation of the crank-wheel. Fig. 5 is a detail of a portion of lower shoe. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of the springsupports, showing manner of attaching to shoe-sides and side casings. Fig. 7 is a section of Fig. 3 on line 2 2. Fig. S is a section of Fig. 4 on line 1 1.

Similar letters referto similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, A A, Fig. 1, represent the' uprights or posts, ot which there are four, which are connected transversely .by girts which form the frame to which the side casings B B are secured. A hopper is formed at the top and between said side casings. by means of the bottoms a and a', which extend transversely across between and are held in place by means of grooves in side casings B B. The bottom a has a portion removed from its lower edge, as shown at b, Figs. l, 3, and Y'7 to provide an opening through which the grain or seed passes through the sieves. To regulate the size ot' said opening there is provided a slide or gate c, which is held in position and operated by means of the arms e e, which are pivotally connected to said slide or gate c, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 7. Arms e c are also pivotally secured to bottom a by means of the caps d and d,which have apivotal point projecting through arms e e and embedded in bottom a', as shown at P, Fig. 7. The arms e e. are also pivotally connected to strap f, which receives a longitudinal motion by means of the screw g, the threaded portion of which engages with strap f, Fig. 3, said screw being adapted to turn in journal* box h by means of the hand-wheel t', said box being rmly secured to side casing B. By turning hand-wheel t' to the right or left the connecting-strap f is drawn back or forth by means of the screw g, which imparts motion to the arms c e, through which slide c receives in its adjustment a motion corresponding to the arcof a circle. The coiled spring k on screw g, between the end of strap f and journal-box h, is for the purpose of allowing screw g a longitudinal movement through journalbox 7L for the purpose of instantly opening slide or gate cwhen required by the operator pulling out on hand-wheel t'. Thus it will be seen that when gate c is set to the required opening it may be instantly opened to its fullestcapacity, and when released by the operator will as instantly assume its normal position, thus obviating the necessity of turning the hand-wheel 0l to perform' the same operation. Spring k'also serves the purpose of compensating for' wear in screw g and strap f, and retains screw g in its proper place in `journal-box 7L by always keeping the hub of hand-wheel t in contact with the side of journal-box h by its elastic force, which it exerts between journal-box 7L and the endof strap as shown in Fig. Hopper-bottom d is reduced in thickness at its lower edge to receive slide or gate c, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, -and'7.

There is attached to slide or gate c and held to place by means ot the hooks or stirrups s s s, being integral to gate c, the agitator n, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 7, which is provided with teeth n', projecting up into the hopper, as shown in Figs. 1 and 7, for the purpose of stirring or agitating the grain or seed, thus insuring a more steady uniform iiow of grain or seed to the sieves through the opening afforded by the proper adjustment of gate c. Said agitator has an arm .fr inte- IOO grally attached at its end, as shown in Fig. 3, which is provided with a slot, by which means said agitator receives a longitudinal reciprocating motion through the elbow-crank m, said crank being pivotally adapted to work in slot of arm a', and also being pivotally attached to bottom a by means of the cap d. Said cap has a pivotal projection extending through elbow-craiik nt and embedded in bottom a, the saine as shown at P, Fig. 7. The slot in arm .fr is for the purpose of allowing agitator yn to take the different positions which slide or gate c is subjected to in its adjustment, while the agitator n receives at all times the same reciprocating motion. The elbow-crank ln1y receives its motion by means of the coiinecting-rod r, Figs. l and f3, which is suitably attached to side of upper shoe D, as shown in Fig. l. The caps d, and d', previously spoken et' as having` the pivotal projections which pass through and retain arms e c and elbow-crank m in position on bottom of', are secured to bottom a by means of a single screw to each cap. Thus it will be seen that only two screws are required to firmly secure the combined mechanism of the feed-gate c and agitator n. to bottoni a. Fpper slice D, which is shown in longitudinal section iii Fig. l, is adapted to carry one or more sieves at the same time, which may be retained in any desired position, either horizontal or inclined. Said shoe is constructed with a hopper-bottoni, with an opening at Z for the discharge of grain or seed to the extreme upper end of graders e and o', contained in lower slice E.

\Vit;li the upper slice constructed with a hopper-bottoni, as in my device, all grain or seed is admitted to the extreme upper end of the screens or graders and is forced to travel the entire length of the screens, thereby increasing the screening capacity. Upper shoe D is also provided with an auxiliary oi cliessing shoe C, which is adapted to be retained in any desired position, the same as the sieves. Then needed, said chessing-shoe is also constructed with a hopper-bottom, similar to shoe D, with an opening at There is also provided in upper shoe D a wind-board w, which is adapted to take dil'- fereiit positions in its adjustment :t'or the purpose of increasing or diminishing the outlet for the escape of the wind-blast when chessiiig-slioe is used, or when necessary it may be closed up close under the sieves when chessing-shce (l is removed, thus forcing all the blast up through the sieves for the purpose of cleaning light seeds. ly this method of forcing the wiiid-blast u p through the sieves the chaff and light stuit are lifted up oil the sieves, while the seed is allowed to pass down through, thus avoiding the liability ot blowing over so much seed as when the blast is allowed to pass out through the sieves longitudiiially.

When using chessing-slioe C, the grain is admitted onto the sieve or sieves, retained above said shoe, and first screened of all the large coarse filth usually found in grains,the coarse stuit passing over the sieves to rear et' mill, wh ile the grain passes through the sieves onto the bottoni of chessing-shoe C, and, passing out through the opening at .2', is subjected to a streng sharp wind-blast from the fan in the direction ot' the arrows, and carries with it all such light seeds as chess, dust, dsc., and conveys thc saine out through the opening afforded by the proper adjustment of wiiid-board w, all of which is shown in Fig. l.

Upper shoe D is supported at its rear end by the spring-supports F, Figs. l and G, which are constructed with coils near each end, the coils acting' in the capacity of pivotal joints as they coil and uneoil as the slice D is v1- brated back and forth. Said spring-supports are rigidly secured to side casings B, and also to sides oi' shoe D, as shown in Fig. (5.

The rock-shaft ll, Figs. 1 and 2, passes entirely across the mill laterally, and is pivotally connected to side casings I3 l; bymeans of the pivotal boxes t as shown in Fig. 2. Said rock-shaft is for the purpose of pivotally supporting, by means of the arms u il, extending upward near each end, the front end of upper shoe D, through which said shoe receives a longitudinal vibrating motion. Said rock-shaft is also provided with an arm if at its center longitudinally extendingdownward, the end of which is adapted to engage in the socket i", which is secured to the transverse brace-piece nf of lower shoe E, through which said shoe receives a longitudinal vibrating motion, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The arm 1/ of rock-shaft H, which extends out through side casing B, as shown in Fig. 2, is adapted to receive the connecting-rod q, as shown in Fig. l, through which said rock-shaft receives its motion.

It will be noticed that the shoes D and E are connected directly to the arms et the rockshaft il without the use of toggle links er joints, which are commonly used where rockshafts are employed for the purpose of vibrating the shoes ot' grain-separators.

Connecting-rod (j, previously mentioned, is pivotally connected to the crank-pin disk L, contained in craiik-whecl I, said crank-wheel being provided with the projecting rim G and the openings or recesses M' and M', which is secured to the revolving fan-shaft, Fig. l, the dotted circle in Fig. 4- indicating the centrally-located hole for that purpose, which is also shown in the section at Fig. 8, and is also the axis around which wheel I and disk L revolve. Crank-pin disk L is pivotally connected to wheel I atj, and is held in position by means of the screw j', which is adapted to engage in the notches ot disk L, as shown in Fi 4 and S, by which means said diskis adjusted to throw the crank-pin either to or from the center of axis, thus giving, through the connecting-rods q, by means of the rockshaft ll, a longer or shorter vibrating motion to shoes D and E, as may be desired.

IOO

IIO

The lower shoe E, Figs. l and 2, previously referred to, is adapted to carry one or more screens or graders o and o at the same time, and to receive different degrees of pitch or slant, as shown in Fig. l. Said lower shoe -is provided with an opening U at the lower extremity of grader '0, Fig. 1, for the purpose of discharging the grain or seed which passes over grader 0 into grain-box K', as in Fig. l,

'while the grain or seed which passes over grader 0 falls in front of mill, by which means the two grades are kept separate.

The adjustable grain-board N, which is pivotally attached to lower shoe E at T, is for the purpose, when used in the position as shown in Fig. l, of conveying the grain or seed which passes through the lower half of grader 0 to grain-box K, as shown in Fig. l. Vhen the grain-board N is closed up and held in position by the button a2, as in Fig. 5, and the lower end of grader o in shoe E, Fig. l, is raised on top of the tranverse brace c2 for the purpose of delivering the grain passingover said grader in front ot' 1nill, then the grain or seed passing through the lower half of grader o is discharged into grain-box K through the opening N', as shown in Fig. 5.

Having thus fully described my invention and set forth its advantages, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a grain and seed separator of the character herein described, the combination of the hopper-bottom a', the slide or gate c, the arms e e, pivotally attached thereto, the caps d and d', having pivoted projections P, the connecting-strap f, pivotally connected te arms e, the screw g, with a threaded portion to engage in end of strap f, journal-box h, spring 7.a, and hand-wheel z', all substantially as shown, and for the purpose as set forth.

2. In a grain and seed separator of the character herein described, the combination of hopper-bottom a', the slide or gate c, having hooks or stirrups s s s, and the agitator n, having teeth n, the slotted arm the elbowcrank fm, pivotally adapt-ed to work in slot of arm 0c, cap d, and connecting-rod o", all for the purpose as shown and described.

3. In a grain and seed separator, the shoe D, constructed with a hopper-bottom provided with the opening Z and wind-board QU, the chessing-shoe C, also constructed with a hopper-bottom and provided with the opening .2, in combination, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a grain and seed separator, the crankwheel I, provided with the projecting rim G and openings or recesses M andlVI, the crankpin disk Il, having a pivotal bearing at j, and the set-screw j', in combination, as shown and described.

5. In a grain and seed separator, the coinbination of shoe E, having the grain-board N pivotally attached at T, and held in one of its positions by button a2, the rock-shaft I-I, having pivotal bearings at each end and provided with the centrally-located arm fo, socket r', the boxes t t, and arm y, all substantially as shown and specified.

VALTER S. VOOD.

Witnesses:

J. YGfaovnn, MONROE BARNES. 

